


Who Says Miracles Aren't Real?

by learashi



Series: Christmas 2018 - Exceedingly Random Drabble Fest [5]
Category: Arashi (Band), Johnny's Entertainment
Genre: Beer, Birthday, Birthday Cake, Christmas Fluff, Concerts, Friendship/Love, Hurt/Comfort, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-25
Updated: 2018-12-25
Packaged: 2019-09-29 16:37:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,568
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17207024
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/learashi/pseuds/learashi
Summary: “You hurt yourself didn't you?” Sho raked his eyes over Jun checking for signs of injury.





	Who Says Miracles Aren't Real?

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome to my final “Exceedingly Random Drabbles for Christmas 2018”. Merry Christmas everyone. *passes around Christmas cookies and boozy eggnog*

Jun looked around furtively, hoping that nobody had seen his misstep. In the darkness of the stage, and hurrying to reach his designated position in time, he’d misjudged the distance. The step had been further down than he’d remembered, and his ankle had buckled outwards, sending lightning up his leg. As it was only one hour into the concert, he had no time to be injured, and so he chose to ignore the pain as carry on as usual.

Sho wondered if he was the only one who had heard the hiss of pain from Jun as they took their places. It was unsurprising that Aiba missed it; he was still too hyper after the onstage birthday celebrations for him. Ohno was changing after his solo, while Nino was just beginning his own solo performance. In the dark, it was impossible to see Jun, but he was desperate to check on him as soon as practicable.

Gesturing with his hands across the distance separating them, Sho tried to ask Jun if he was okay, but Jun indicated by his own shrug that he didn't understand. Knowing that Jun was only pretending not to understand, and deflecting Sho’s concern, only made Sho even more determined.

**

In the midst of their final hurried costume change Jun kept his high-sided boots on, rather than exchanging them for the more comfortable sneakers lined up for him. The throbbing sensation coming from his ankle told him that it needed all the support it could get right now. To his dismay, Sho was headed towards him, still tugging his shirt on as he walked. The expression on Sho’s face told Jun that he was in trouble.

“You hurt yourself didn't you?” Sho raked his eyes over Jun checking for signs of injury.

“Eh?” Jun widened his eyes and gave Sho one of his best innocent stares. In the hubbub of backstage he hoped that feigning deafness might save him.

“You heard me. Don't pretend that you didn't hear the question.”

“Eh?” Jun cupped his ear and shook his head.

“Jun..” Before Sho could complete his sentence, they were swept up by the others and hustled back onto the stage, where Jun successfully managed to avoid eye contact with anyone for the remainder of the concert.

**

“C’mon Sho, hurry up. We're all going back to Aiba’s hotel room to celebrate his birthday,” Ohno urged, already anticipating the frosty beers waiting for them.

“Yeah! And then we’re having Christmas cake,” Aiba chirped.

“And then more beer!” Ohno added happily.

“You two idiots have already eaten your own body weight in birthday cake. How can you possibly fit in any more? I am not helping you to throw up later,” Nino responded with a feigned sigh, while watching them with a fond smile as they headed towards the waiting minibus with their arms linked. Turning his attention to Sho, Nino added, “Coming?”

Sho shook his head. “You guys go on ahead. I'm going to wait for Jun and then take him back to his room, if he’ll let me.”

“I was hoping that you noticed.”

“You saw it too?”

Nino shrugged his shoulders. “We all saw him struggling, but decided to leave him be. He’s like an angry cat when he's injured, and we didn't want to make the situation worse.”

“He can spit and hiss at me all he wants, but I'm taking care of him for the rest of the night, whether he likes it or not,” Sho replied, with a determined glint in his eye.

“Good luck with that,” Nino smirked. “Once you get him sorted, feel free to come to Aiba’s room, for some ice to put on your bruises.”

“Very funny.”

“Seriously, look after him. He's worked himself to the bone lately and needs some TLC,” Nino replied solemnly.

“You know that I will. If only he’ll let me.”

Nino nodded, and ambled after Aiba and Ohno, who were jiggling impatiently in their seats on the bus, still hyper from the concert, and looking forward to their day off on Christmas day.

**

Jun was slumped on the battered sofa in the darkest corner of their dressing room, still wearing the boots and pants from his costume. Since it was Christmas Eve, and Aiba’s birthday, he hoped that Sho and the other three would already be on the way back to the hotel. Jun knew that he was going to have to remove the boot and survey the damage sooner rather than later, but right now he couldn't quite face the prospect.

“Staring at it won't make it better, you know.”

At the first harsh sound of Sho’s voice, Jun jumped in fright and curled himself into a protective ball. He knew that his actions were childish and that he deserved the lecture which he was bound to receive, but he was just too tired to cope.

Instead of a well meaning lecture though, Sho took a spot beside Jun, just sitting quietly. After a couple of minutes Sho’s phone rang, and Jun could clearly hear Aiba’s high pitched giggle on the other end when Sho answered it.

Jun did his best to remain aloof, but the sounds of his bandmates celebrating together made something hurt in his chest.

“Aiba wants to know when we are going to join them,” Sho said softly after he ended the call.

“You can go right now,” Jun muttered. “No need to wait for me.” He didn't know why he always acted like a truculent teenager, whenever Sho was around, but he couldn't seem to help himself.

“He wants _both_ of us there Jun; and so do Nino and Ohno,” Sho said as he turned to face Jun properly. “It’s not only Aiba's birthday, but Christmas too. It’s a chance for us to all relax and look back at the year - together. And if that’s going to happen, you are going to have to finally accept my help.”

“Who says I even need your help?” Jun yanked his first boot off without even undoing the laces, and threw it down onto the floor, giving Sho a glare as he did so. But when tried to tug the other one off, it not only refused to budge, but the movement set off a flare of pain which almost took his breath away. Jun tried again, attempting to unfasten the stubbornly tangled lace, but each movement of his foot increased the heated throbbing of his damaged joint. Finally admitting that he wasn't invincible, Jun looked up at Sho, who was wincing along with him in sympathy, and spoke the words he never thought he’d say. “Help me?”

Sho repressed his triumphant smile as he knelt at Jun’s feet and carefully began to loosen the laces of Jun’s remaining shoe. “Say please.”

“Plz,” Jun mumbled. His voice was barely audible, even at Sho’s close proximity.

“Sorry. I didn't quite catch that,” Sho teased, pausing with Jun’s boot halfway off.

Blushing furiously, Jun blurted, “Please help me. I can't do it by myself, okay?”

Making soothing noises, Sho ran his hand lightly up Jun’s calf. “Now, that wasn't too hard, was it? Jun, you need to learn that asking for help isn't a shameful thing, or a weakness.”

“I didn't want to ruin the concert, and disappoint the fans, especially since it's Aiba’s day and Christmas too,” Jun murmured. As Sho eased off the restricting boot and massaged Jun’s leg, Jun felt the tension leaching from his body.

“You really can be dense sometimes,” Sho said in a soft tone which contradicted his harsh words. “Do you honestly think that the fans or the other guys care about you so little? Your health is the most important thing. “ _You_ are important. I wish you would allow me to show you just how much I care.”

Blushing a little, Jun reached out and threaded his fingers through Sho’s hair and nodded slowly.

**

Aiba’s eyes almost popped out at the sight which greeted him when he answered the loud knocking on his hotel room door.

“Well, are you going to just stand there, or are you actually going to let us in?” Jun groused.

“C-come in, come in,” Aiba stuttered, standing back to allow Sho and Jun entry.

Nino and Ohno halted their conversation in mid sentence, jaws dropping open as they watched Sho carry Jun princess style to the sofa. Jun seemed quite comfortable where he was, nestled in Sho’s embrace, with his arms wrapped tightly around Sho’s neck. Sho carefully deposited Jun on the middle cushion, and dragged over a footstool for Jun to rest his bandaged ankle on. Once he was sure that Jun was comfortable, Sho took a seat beside him, close enough for the outside of their thighs and their shoulders to press firmly against each other.

Noticing the attention they’d attracted, Jun glared around the room. “What?”

“Um, nothing Jun-chan,” Aiba hastily answered, handing Jun and Sho a can of beer each, before rushing to cut them a slice of Christmas cake.

On the far side of the room Ohno and Nino exchanged a glance, looking like a pair of proud parents, as they watched Sho attempting to feed Jun the cake, as Aiba watched on in fascination. “It seems as if Christmas miracles are real after all,” Ohno whispered.

And as Nino took in the fond looks Sho and Jun were exchanging, Nino found himself agreeing.


End file.
